A letter to Councilman Moxley. . .

. . . from a former Catonsville resident.

Dear Councilman Moxley,

How many times have you said, "I remember" referring to someone or something from your childhood years? I, for one, have certainly had that experience and that phrase came back to me recently when I heard of the plans to raze the Victor Bloede home in Eden Terrace, Catonsville, MD.

The close proximity of my childhood home to Eden Terrace made it possible for me and my brothers to play in that area in the mid-to-late 1930s. I recall the beauty of the interior of one of the homes on Arbutus Avenue (which was vacant at that time) and find it almost impossible to believe that any part of Eden Terrace, and particularly the Victor Bloede home, could be destroyed for townhouse development. If you, Councilman Moxley, or the members of the Council have read the history of this great man, I believe you would be hard-pressed to allow his home to be destroyed. An important reminder of Bloede's life and contribution to society would be his home and Catonsville should be proud to call him "one of our own" and not allow this horrible plan to move forward. There will be many more homes and townhouses erected in and around Catonsville, I'm sure, but there will never be another Victor Bloede home.

While I am no longer a resident of Catonsville, I still have roots there and I hope you and the Baltimore County Council will let clear and wise minds prevail in this decision-making process.

It is important to pass a bill to give this home permanent historic landmark status. Once destroyed, it can never be retrieved.